While most people think of preseason in Florida as a mini-vacation, it’s really quite the opposite. As the team packs and prepares to leave for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., we caught up with two of the preseason veterans on United’s staff, Equipment Manager David Brazuer and Team Administrator Francisco Tobar, to get an inside look at what actually goes on.

D.C. United welcomed its Barclays Premier League partner Sunderland AFC to Washington, D.C., this week, the first visit since the two clubs announced the formation of their official relationship in August 2014. As part of that agreement, the two clubs share best practices on both the technical and commercial sides of the respective operations.

D.C. United has announced its preseason roster for the club’s upcoming trip to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. After two weeks in Florida, the team will then travel to Austin, Texas before completing preseason in Dallas, Texas. For more information on the club’s preseason schedule, click here.

D.C. United has announced that forward Fabián Espíndola’s option was extended and he now has Designated Player status. The Argentinian will begin his second season with the Black-and-Red in 2015 following a campaign in which he finished with MLS career highs in goals (11) and assists (9). Per club and League policy, specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.

D.C. United's Homegrown 'keeper, and the 2014 MLS GK of the Year, Bill Hamid participated in MLS's two-day media tour this week. The 24-year-old star stirred up quiet a buzz as he made the rounds, which led to ESPN FC's Doug McIntyre calling Hamid the "star of the day."

It was a busy day for the Black-and-Red in Philadelphia. With a pick in both the first and second round, D.C. United gained depth in the midfield, selecting Miguel Aguilar and Dan Metzger with the 17th and 42nd pick, respectively. Molly Bruh and Monumental Network's Lindsay Simpson recap the day with interviews from Ben Olsen, Dave Kasper, Dan Metzger and Sasho Cirovski.

Today, D.C. United selected Miguel Aguilar, a midfielder out of the University of San Francisco, with the 17th pick of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. We caught up with the excited, soon-to-be rookie so we could all get to know each other better.

Describe today. Are you at home? What are you doing?Miguel Aguilar: Yeah, I am home. I am very emotional and very grateful for the opportunity and being able to share this with my family is the greatest feeling. Seeing my mom's reaction when my name was called up is the best thing.